Front end structure and radiator support of vehicle incorporating sight glass for reserve tank

ABSTRACT

It is required to prevent a worker from hitting his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when he checks the level of cooling water remaining in a tank, or the like.  
     A front end structure of a vehicle comprises: a radiator support ( 10 ) fixed on a vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle and to which at least a radiator ( 20 ) is attached; a tank ( 30, 40 ) which is arranged in the front end of the vehicle and behind the radiator support ( 10 ) and accumulates fluid inside. Sight glasses ( 13, 14 ) by which a worker can see the level of cooling water, or the like, remaining in the tanks ( 30, 40 ) from the front side of the vehicle is mounted on the radiator support ( 10 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a front end structure of a vehicle, and a radiator support therefor, mounted on the front end of the vehicle.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] As a front end structure of a vehicle, for example, in the invention according to the Japanese Patent Publication No. 3293546, a reserve tank for a radiator is integrated with a fan shroud and a level gauge, which is provided for checking the quantity of cooling water in the reserve tank, is mounted on the rear side, in the vehicle direction, of the reserve tank.

[0005] The reserve tank has a function to compensate for a variation in the water quantity in the radiator. A radiator support is a structural member to which at least a heat exchanger, such as a radiator, etc., is attached and is called as a “carrier” or a “front end panel” in some documents.

[0006] As a level gauge is mounted on the reserve tank at the rear side of the vehicle, when a worker checks the level of cooling water remaining in the reserve tank by eye, especially during assembling the vehicle, or the like, he must put his head into an engine compartment, as shown in FIG. 4, to check the level of the cooling water.

[0007] Due to such a construction in a vehicle, such as a light automobile which has a short front end, it is likely that a worker will hit his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when checking the level of cooling water in the reserve tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention has been developed with above-mentioned problems being taken into consideration, and the first object thereof is to provide a novel front end structure of a vehicle, and a radiator support thereof, different from the prior art. The second object thereof is to prevent a worker hitting his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when he checks the level of cooling water.

[0009] To realize the above-mentioned object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a front end structure of a vehicle comprises: a radiator support (10) which is fixed on a vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle and to which at least a radiator (20) is attached; a tank (30, 40) which is arranged in the front end of the vehicle and behind the radiator support (10) and accumulates fluid inside; and wherein a sight glass (13, 14) by which a worker can see the fluid level in the tank (30, 40) from the front side of the vehicle is mounted on the radiator support (10).

[0010] In this way, it is possible to prevent a worker from hitting his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when he checks the level of cooling water in the tank (30, 40), or the like, and, at the same time, it is possible to easily check the level of cooling water in the tank (30, 40), or the like, and moreover it is possible to obtain a novel front end structure of a vehicle different from the prior art.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a radiator support, which is fixed on a vehicle body at the front end of a vehicle and has a body portion (11) to which at least a radiator (20) is attached, is provided with a sight glass (13, 14) by which the fluid level in a tank (30, 40), which is arranged behind the body portion (11) in the vehicle and accumulates fluid, can be seen from the front side of the vehicle.

[0012] In this way, it is possible to prevent a worker from hitting his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when he checks the fluid level in the tank (30, 40), or the like, and, at the same time, it is possible to easily check the level of cooling water in the tank (30, 40), or the like, and moreover it is possible to obtain a novel radiator support different from the prior art.

[0013] In a third aspect according to the second aspect of the present invention, the tank (30) is integrated with the body portion (11).

[0014] The figures in the brackets attached to the above-mentioned means are examples showing the relationship of correspondence with the concrete means in the embodiments to be described later.

[0015] The present invention may be more fully understood from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the drawings:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a front view of a front end structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in FIG. 1.

[0020]FIG. 4 is an illustrative drawing for explaining problems of the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021]FIG. 1 is a front view of a front end structure of a vehicle according to the present embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in FIG. 1.

[0022] A radiator support 10 comprises a radiator support body portion 11 (which is abbreviated as a “body portion 11”, hereinafter) to which a radiator 20 is attached and fixed, a coupling portion 12 which is provided for coupling the body portion 11 onto a vehicle body, or the like, and the body portion 11 and the fixing portion 12 are integrally molded in a resin reinforced in mechanical strength by a reinforcing material such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, or the like.

[0023] A reserve tank 30 is a vessel which accumulates cooling water so as to compensate for a quantity variation of cooling water in the radiator 20 and the reserve tank 30 is arranged behind the body portion 11, i.e. the radiator support 10, in the vehicle.

[0024] On the body portion 11, i.e. the radiator support 10, a sight glass 13 is mounted in order to check the level of cooling water remaining in the reserve tank 30, by eye, from the front side of the vehicle.

[0025] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, as part of the reserve tank 30 and the body portion 11 are integrally molded, a translucent level gauge 31 a is installed in the sight glass 13 which is installed in the body portion 11 in a state in which the sight glass 13 is embedded in the body portion 11. In this case, the color of the radiator support 10 is substantially black.

[0026] In addition, a washer tank 40 which is a vessel for accumulating washer fluid sprayed on a front window of a vehicle is arranged behind the body portion 11, i.e. the radiator support 10, and, at the same time, a level gauge 31 a of the washer tank 40 is arranged in the fore side in the vehicle, so that it can be seen from the front of the vehicle.

[0027] On the area corresponding to the washer tank 40, in the body portion 11, a sight glass 14 is provided in order to check the level of the washer fluid in the washer tank 40, by eye, from the front side of the vehicle.

[0028] In this case, the washer tank 40 is fixed and attached to the body portion 11 by mechanical coupling means, such as bolts, or the like, and as the washer tank 40 is provided as another component separated from the radiator support 10 the sight glass 14 can be formed in a simple opening.

[0029] Next, the operations and effects of the present embodiment are described.

[0030] In the present embodiment, as the sight glasses 13, 14 by which the liquid level in the tanks 30, 40 can be seen from the front side of the vehicle are installed in the body portion 11, i.e. the radiator support 10, it is possible to prevent a worker from hitting his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when he checks the level of cooling water, or the like, remaining in the tanks 30, 40 and, at the same time, it is possible to easily check the level of cooling water, or the like remaining in the tanks 30, 40.

[0031] (Miscellaneous Embodiments)

[0032] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the reserve tank 30 is integrated with the radiator support 10 and the washer tank 40 is separated from the radiator support 10 but the present invention is not limited to this constitution and, for example, the both tanks 30, 40 may be integrated with the radiator support 10 or the both tanks 30, 40 may be separated from the radiator support 10.

[0033] Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the radiator support 10 is made of a resin but the present invention is not limited to this constitution and, for example, it may be made of metals such as aluminum, magnesium, steel, or the like.

[0034] Also, when the tanks 30, 40 are separated from the radiator support 10, each level gage may be mounted on either the radiator support 10 or each of the tanks 30, 40.

[0035] While the invention has been described by reference to specific embodiments chosen for the purposes of illustration, it should be apparent that numerous modifications could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the basic concept and scope of the invention. 

1. A front end structure of a vehicle comprising: a radiator support fixed on a vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle and attached with at least a radiator; a tank which is arranged in the front end of the vehicle and behind the radiator support and accumulates fluid inside; and wherein a sight glass, by which a worker can see the fluid level in the tank from the front side of the vehicle, is mounted on the radiator support.
 2. A radiator support being fixed on a vehicle body at the front end of a vehicle and having a body portion attached with at least a radiator; wherein a sight glass is provided by which the fluid level in a tank, which is arranged behind the body portion in the vehicle and accumulates fluid, can be seen from the front side of the vehicle.
 3. A radiator support, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tank is integrated with the body portion.
 4. A front end structure of a vehicle comprising: a radiator support fixed on a vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle and attached with at least a radiator; a tank which is arranged in the front end of the vehicle and behind the radiator support and accumulates fluid inside; and wherein a sight glass, whereby the fluid level in the tank is visible from the front side of the vehicle, is mounted on the radiator support. 